Sunshine Coast Alternative School

Objectives (To address achievement for all students.)

• For there to be a “personalized education plan” for every aboriginal student developed in consultation with the student, their family, their support circle.

• For every age / grade appropriate Aboriginal student to successfully complete the grade 10 course(s) they are registered within one year of beginning the course.

• To work collaboratively with the District Aboriginal Programs and Services and our Aboriginal communities and families in order to become a culturally responsive school.

Rationale (A thorough and connected set of reasons based on evidence for the selection of student achievement goals.)

Trends continue: school based, district based, and provincial based indicators show that many Aboriginal students in the schools are not successfully completing grade 10, and for those that do, many often do not complete requirements for graduation.

There are many factors impacting the success of individual Aboriginal students in the school, including poverty issues, identity issues, lack of parent involvement/parents' own negative experience with school, social-emotional issues, physical development, language development, and learning disabilities. This is also true for those Aboriginal student enrolled in SCAS.

The staff continue to be challenged by the fact that while the students of Aboriginal ancestry are supported in the programs, many continue to be unsuccessful in achieving success in their graduation program years and in their transition to independence.

District data indicates that should an Aboriginal student make it into their final grade 12 year there is a 71% chance the student will graduate. At SCAS we do not find this to be true, rather students require longer to meet requirements for graduation and complete a relevant graduation plan.

Staff experience challenging demands from their Aboriginal learners they and recognize the importance of working with District Aboriginal Education. The Professional conversations have been informative and a valuable contribution to the understanding and planning made by staff.

Data (At least three sources of evidence including classroom, school and district/provincial data.)

1. Number of Aboriginal students is decline: Feb 2010: 102; February 2011: 64

2. Program dropout rate (as defined by 0 progress and minimal to no attendance) for senior students aged 16 – 19 years: decreased by 5% (from 20% - 15%).

3. Aboriginal student course completing is low, particularly for courses at the grade 10 level.

- 2009/10 Term 3 reports indicate a majority of aboriginal students will not fulfill course requirements by the end of the school year ie have more than 25% of the course to complete

- 90% of aboriginal students enrolled in career relevant courses complete the course requirements on time.

- Number of aboriginal student enrolled in pre apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs plus work experience has increased by 30% of these students 1 student was withdrawn from the Ace-It Program to continue studies at a work site placement.

7. 2011 Nurturing the Spirit: A consultative gathering of aboriginal students organized by the Aboriginal Education Program indicate:

- That they and their peers all believe graduation to be of great importance;

- That money and drugs are the main barrier to graduation;

- Do not believe their school reflects their culture to any great degree and witness incidence of racism by both adults and students in the school;

- Identify the need for a supportive, helpful, flexible and understanding relationship with their teachers and school support staff as critical for their success at school.

Strategies: Goal 1 (A well organized, focused improvement plan with a blend of research, best practice, and innovative thinking.)

• Offer First People’s English 10 at all sites.

• Offer First People’s English 12 at all sites.

• Offer First Nations Studies 12 via Distributed Learning at all sites and to all interested students not contingent upon their grade level.

• Offer opportunities for field trips to aboriginal learning and career institutions: increase culturally relevant learning environments for success and career planning.

• Employ the construct of the medicine wheel to student’s Personalized Education Plan

• Provide supported career relevant course and program options for senior students.

• Set the continued examination of “what works” as a theme for School Professional Development days. Enlist the support of the District Aboriginal Education Support Service.

• Connect school academic / career advisors to aboriginal students in order to develop their Personal Education Plan and review this plan winter and late spring.

• Continue successful community pot luck luncheons welcoming Aboriginal families and honouring students’ cultural participation.

• Employ the concept of the medicine wheel for planning both with the students and for program and curriculum delivery.

• Continue to expand the Co-Op program that assists with life / career planning and work experience opportunities.

• Make Aboriginal heritage more prominent within each educational space.

• Aboriginal Education Program staff present at student educational planning meetings

Structures (Aligned structures - resources, time, organizations - to achieve results.)

• Establish Senior School to Work and graduation program – focus on career exploration, training, work experience and course relevance.

• Identify school academic / career advisors to work with Aboriginal students in the development of their learning plans

• Ensure curricular resources are purchased to support courses with Aboriginal content.

• Continue to welcome Aboriginal Education Program staff into all programs for instruction and life planning support.

• Extra-curricular activities supported as part of school program – safe, supported and inclusive ie Wolves Volleyball team

Coherence / Alignment (Connection between school and district goals; connections with other schools.)

SD No. 46 goals addressed by this growth plan:

1. To support a District focus on success rates of students in social responsibility

- Continue the trend of reducing the number of student permanent withdrawals from an educational program

- Increase the number of students reconnecting to schooling

2. To improve success rates of aboriginal students

This goal, and the strategies outline to realize this goal, is supported by the District Aboriginal Programs and Services plan.

Parent Involvement

(Working with parents, including specific groups of parents, on improving student learning.)

• SCAS representative attend the Aboriginal Parent Group biannually.

• Welcome the presence of an elder in the programs (as proposed by District Aboriginal Programs and Services)

• Explore ways to establish a more welcoming environment for parents of aboriginal students through dialogue with PAC ie brainstorm ideas for workshops, events, and gatherings that staff and parent group to consider.

Results (Monitor key areas of student achievement and make adjustments to improve.)

• Number of Aboriginal students declined from 09/10 totals: 30% (a decline of 10%) of the school’s student population includes students of First Nations and Metis ancestry (includes adults numbers at 11 in the February 2011count – a decline of 62%).

One program continues to enroll 90+% aboriginal students.

• SCAS Aboriginal Student Graduation Rate:

- 2008/09: 18% (represents 2 students)

- 2009 /10: 50% (represents 4 students

- 2010/11: 87% of students eligible within the year (projection)

• Number of Aboriginal students passing provincial examinations at grade 10 and 12 – to be determined after 2011 June examination sitting.

• 6 Aboriginal students registered in the Learning and Parenting Program: 4 set to graduate June 2011 – these students, young parents, were marginally connected to a school program in the previously year.

• 6. Community Pot Luck luncheons well attended by Aboriginal families and support people: 6 luncheons held; 4 highlighting Aboriginal guest speakers and included ceremonial opening or closing.

• Parents’ group includes parents of children with aboriginal ancestry

• Students participating in BC First Nations 12: 3; and increase of 1 student

• District Aboriginal Support in involved in all programs and supports students with curricular, emotional, career exploration support on a weekly basis. Several of these students have successfully written provincial exams, are actively preparing for them, or have successfully completed course requirements.

Career Transition Programs: increase from 50% to 90% successful completion rate